South Africa: Kensington Businesses Suffer 70 Percent Decline As Joburg Water Rips Up Queen Street

What the report says

A prolonged pipe-replacement project on Queen Street in Kensington, Johannesburg, has left local businesses and residents dealing with mud, dust and restricted access, according to Daily Maverick as distributed by AllAfrica. The work is being carried out by Johannesburg Water on the suburb’s main commercial road, which is part of the city’s M33 route and links the eastern suburbs of Malvern and Bruma.

The article says the project began in March and has already replaced about 400 metres of pipeline, but the road had still not been permanently restored after six months. With Queen Street torn up, vehicles have struggled through the area and traffic has shifted onto nearby streets, adding to congestion and making it harder for customers to reach shops.

Local traders said the disruption has sharply affected business, with some reporting sales and customer declines of between 40% and 70%. They warned that the situation could threaten jobs and the survival of small enterprises. The problem is also complicating a wider community effort to improve Kensington, where residents and businesses have been cleaning streets, removing dumping, planting greenery and trying to restore neglected public spaces. The reporting underscores how infrastructure repairs can have wider economic effects when major access routes remain open only in a limited way.